A few months ago, back in April or even early May, the series that began Tuesday night in St. Louis was one of those that stood out from all the rest on the schedule.

Red Sox at Cardinals, a rematch of last year’s World Series.

But what took place Tuesday night, and will follow Wednesday and Thursday, was no rematch.

The Red Sox that traveled to St. Louis on Tuesday night and lost 3-2 to the Cardinals bear little resemblance to last year’s world champions.

Of the nine Red Sox in the starting lineup for the opener against the Cardinals, five were on last year’s team in October. But only one more was on the bench, and only five pitchers were on the team.

Fourteen of the 25 active players are new.

A week ago, it would have been different. The Red Sox wouldn’t have been any closer to contention — they entered Tuesday night 14 games out of first place in the AL East — but at least Jon Lester, John Lackey, Jonny Gomes, Andrew Miller, and Stephen Drew would have still been on the team. Add in a couple more weeks and Jake Peavy would have been there too.

But no, what’s taking place this week in the same stadium the Red Sox took command of the 2013 World Series is no rematch, the result of four months of lousy play by the Red Sox that resulted in an almost unprecedented firesale by a defending champion.

Tuesday night’s game was deadlocked at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning when former Red Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who was released in July, poked a two-out single to left field against Boston reliever Junichi Tazawa (1-3). Oscar Tavares followed with a single to center, moving Pierzysnki to third.

Rubby De La Rosa, one of the many not on last year’s postseason roster, got the start for the Red Sox, and allowed one run in six innings and left with a 2-1 lead. He struck out three and walked three, and lowered his earned run average to 3.43.

De La Rosa gave up a leadoff double to Matt Carpenter in the bottom of the first inning, but got the next three Cardinals to get out of the inning unscathed. He then set the side down in order in both the second and third innings, but St. Louis broke through in the fourth.

Matt Holliday doubled to center field with one out, then scored on a single by Matt Adams to take a 1-0 lead.

Page 2 of 2 - The damage could have been a lot worse for De La Rosa, but after Jhonny Peralta and Pierzynski walked to load the bases Taveras grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Meanwhile, Lance Lynn, who took the loss in Game 4 of the World Series, pitched for the Cardinals, and gave up two runs in seven innings.

The Red Sox nearly took an early lead when Yoenis Cespedes tripled to lead off the second inning, but Daniel Nava grounded out, and when Xander Bogaerts hit a grounder to third base Cespedes was thrown out trying to score. Christian Vazquez then flew out to end the inning.

In the fifth, however, Lynn’s defense let him down and the Red Sox evened the score at 1-1.

Nava hit a ground ball to third base leading off, but Carpenter threw wild to first base and Nava wound up at second base on the error. Nava moved to third on a groundout by Bogaerts, then scored on Vazquez’s sacrifice fly.

Two innings later, Cespedes and Nava started the seventh with singles, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Bogaerts, and Cespedes scored to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead on a groundout by Will Middlebrooks.

With Tommy Layne on in relief of De La Rosa, the Cardinals tied the score at 2-2.

Shane Robinson, pinch-hitting for Lynn in the bottom of the seventh, walked, moved to second on a groundout by Carpenter, and scored on a single by Kolton Wong.

While the Red Sox arrived in St. Louis a completely different team than the one that squared off against the Cardinals in the World Series — and one that’s now looking to the future rather than playing for the postseason this year — the Cards entered Tuesday night just a game behind the Brewers in the NL Central.

And while the Red Sox were sellers at the trade deadline, St. Louis made additions. Justin Masterson was acquired from the Indians, and then it was the Cardinals who pulled off a deal with the Red Sox for Lackey. They also signed Pierzynski, whom the Red Sox had released in early July.

The Cardinals had won three of their last four games heading into Tuesday night, including two of three against Milwaukee.